The whole village 'contributes rice' to do a touching thing at the communal house yard on the last day of the year

For many years now, people in Vinh Loc metalworking village (Phung Xa commune, Thach That district, Hanoi) have been familiar with the image of Dinh Ty 1977 council members gathering to wrap Chung cakes and give them to the needy during the Lunar New Year.

Currently, this meaningful activity has been expanded to the whole commune.

On the days before Tet 2024, in addition to the banh chung wrapping activity of the 1977 council in Vinh Loc village, 20 councils of all ages in Bung village (Phung Xa commune) also called on organizations and individuals to join hands to contribute, giving 120 gifts to lonely elderly people, orphans, and people in difficulty...

From early morning, the village was bustling like a festival. The elderly, the young... gathered in the yard of Bung village's communal house to wrap banh chung together. In one corner, a group washed leaves, in another corner, a group prepared firewood, in another corner, everyone gathered to wrap banh chung. The whole village was bustling from morning till night.

"This is the first time my village has organized this event, from the farmers' association, women's association, small traders, green volunteer groups... all enthusiastically responded. We feel excited and warm for the lonely elderly and people in difficult circumstances," Ms. Phuong Lan (a resident of Bung village) shared with VietNamNet while washing leaves.

At the Vinh Loc village's literary yard, Mr. Duong Phu Tuyet, head of the 1977 council, also proudly shared about this meaningful activity: "Our activity of wrapping banh chung for the poor has spread throughout the village.

Regardless of the cold or rainy weather, we still maintain this meaningful activity as the group's motto. There were years when we were wrapping and it rained heavily, everyone hurriedly "ran away from the rain", brought the stuff into the office and continued wrapping.

It is known that this meaningful activity has been carried out since 2019. "That year, we wrapped 200 banh chung with Tet food, and gave them to 50 poor households in Vinh Loc village. That was the motivation for us to continue joining hands for the poor in the following years," said Nguyen Anh Tuan, a member of the 1977 group.

In 6 years, the group's program of making banh chung for the poor has become a brand, recognized by the people.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung wraps cakes without a mold.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung (70 years old) lives more than 10km from Phung Xa commune but still asked his daughter to take him there to wrap Chung cakes with the 1977 group of Vinh Loc village. While everyone else had to use wooden molds, Mr. Trung was still able to wrap square cakes with his bare hands.

"People here spend money and effort to do this very meaningful sharing activity. Even though I am 70 years old, I still want to contribute, even if it is small, but my conscience is at ease," said Mr. Trung.

Responding to the volunteer spirit of the people in the commune, Mr. Nguyen Doan Tuyen - Secretary of the Party Committee of Phung Xa commune and Mr. Phung Ngoc Nam - Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune went to 2 banh chung wrapping points in Vinh Loc village and Bung village.

"For many years now, with the spirit of everyone having Tet, leaving no one behind, the 1977 group of Vinh Loc village has organized the cooking of banh chung and given Tet gifts to poor households, disadvantaged and difficult cases.

This solidarity and community-based activity has spread very well. Currently, more than 20 peer groups of all ages have also called on small traders and philanthropists to join hands to contribute rice, meat, and labor to make pots of Tet banh chung as well as gift packages imbued with village and neighborhood love to give away," said Mr. Nguyen Doan Tuyen.

To make sure "everyone has Tet, every family has Tet", many people have arranged their busy pre-Tet time to keep the fire burning and watch over the banh chung pot together. Immediately after receiving a donation, the recipient will record it in a book and update it on a public bulletin board in each village.

After a long day of eagerly waiting, at 1am on February 6, the banh chung containing the sharing hearts of the people of Phung Xa commune were "baked" and brought to be given away.

Looking at banh chung on Tet holiday The banh chung pot is probably the most familiar image of Tet holiday, every family makes it, regardless of rich or poor. I followed my father all morning, washing leaves, washing rice, making fillings…

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ca-lang-gop-gao-lam-dieu-cam-dong-o-san-dinh-ngay-cuoi-nam-2247509.html